Our Providers

Undergraduate School​Pomona College

Medical School​University of Arizona

InternshipU.C. Davis

Residency​University of California, East Bay

Brian J. Waddle, MD, FACS​

Dr. Waddle completed his undergraduate training at Pomona College and entered the University of Arizona College of Health Professions as a merit scholar, graduating with honors. He worked for the US Indian Health Services as a Clinical Laboratory Scientist and graduated from the University of Arizona College of Medicine. He completed his surgical internship at the University of California, Davis and his surgical residency at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Waddle has broad surgical experience and specializes in minimally invasive surgery including advanced laparoscopy, thoracoscopy, endoscopy and DaVinci robotic surgery. He has practiced in Santa Cruz since 2002.

Undergraduate School​U.C. Berkeley

Graduate School​U.C.L.A.

Medical School​George Washington University

ResidencyInova Fairfax Hospital

Fellowship​Mayo Clinic, Rochester

Louis C. Lee, MD, FACS​

Dr. Lee is a California native who received his undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley, followed by a master’s degree in molecular biology, ecology and evolution from UCLA. After medical school and residency, he completed a fellowship in Endocrine Surgery at the prestigious Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. Dr. Lee is the only fellowship-trained expert in the entire Monterey Bay for diseases of the thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal glands, as well as endocrine tumors of the pancreas and the gastrointestinal tract. He is active in national organizations including the American College of Surgeons and the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons. He is also skilled in DaVinci robotic single-site surgery as well as other advanced minimally invasive techniques. Dr. Lee has practiced in Santa Cruz since 2012.

Undergraduate School​Penn State University

Graduate School​Harvard University

Medical School​Temple University

Residency​Temple University

Jessica Santillano, MD, FACS​

Dr. Santillano completed her undergraduate training at Penn State University and pre-medical studies at Harvard University. She entered Temple University School of Medicine after serving in the US Peace Corps, where she volunteered as a Health Educator in Ecuador, South America. She completed her surgical internship and residency at Temple University Hospital in her hometown of Philadelphia, PA. Dr. Santillano has broad surgical experience and specializes in minimally invasive surgery including advanced laparoscopy and DaVinci robotic surgery. She is an expert in diseases of the breast, performing surgery for both benign and cancerous lesions. Dr. Santillano is fluent in Spanish, se habla español. She joined the Surgical Associates of Monterey Bay in 2014.

Undergraduate School​U.C. San Diego

Medical School​Des Moines University

ResidencySaint John Macomb Hospital

Paul Nguyen, DO​

Dr. Nguyen is a Bay Area native who completed his undergraduate degree in Human Biology at the University of California, San Diego. He went on to receive his medical degree from Des Moines University in Iowa. He then completed his surgical internship and residency in Detroit, MI. Dr. Nguyen has interests in multiple areas of general surgery, including minimally invasive surgery, hernias, gallbladder, colon, breast, bariatric and endoscopy. He joined the Surgical Associates of Monterey Bay in 2016.

Undergraduate School​U.C. Davis

Graduate School​George Washington University

Monika Lin, PA-C​

Monika Lin, PA-C, is a bay area native. She attended the University of California, Davis, has a research background with UCSF, and was also a volunteer EMT with a bay area nonprofit. Ms. Lin provides tremendous support to our surgeons and strives to create a comfortable environment for patients. She is intricately involved in the care of our patients including preoperative appointments, daily hospital rounds, intraoperative surgical assisting, and postoperative wound care. Monika is board-certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants and licensed in the state of California by the Physician Assistant Board of California. She received her dual Master's in health science and public health in 2015 from George Washington University in Washington, DC. She joined the Surgical Assocaites of Monterey Bay in 2015.